Q1: Interested in learning about plantings to manage storm water drainage that is currently going straight into lake, adjacent to swimming beach.
A1: Plantings for upland going into lake. I generally observe the way the water is flowing then create berms, or chevrons, to direct the water where I want it to go. I add water loving plants specific to the region and either create a rain garden or buffer.

 

Q2: How were these various percentages calculated? From runoff/infiltration diagram
A2: Percentages were taken from this site: https://www.rvca.ca/stewardship-grants/shoreline-naturalization/benefits-of-a-natural-shoreline and a few other resources for infiltration rates. If you do a quick online search, you will find more details for various flooring types and their rates of permeability.

 

Q3: In Ontario many areas/bylaws and recent scientific data is recommending 30m vegetative buffers, setbacks. The 5-15m doesn’t seem to apply to our inland lakes. Comment?
A3: In general, the bigger the buffer zone the better, depending on your municipality the setbacks will be different. Most people have their homes within the buffer zone, which, when I went to university was taught 150′ back from the water’s edge. Check your local office and see what is required in your area. If your home is in there, start working on the water flowing off your home first, direct it, then design and plan for plants to help you out.

 

Q4: What is a good grass-like replacement?
A4: We generally encourage people to switch lawn out for low growing white clover or ground covering perennials. depending on where you live there will be a whole host of plants which can tolerate walking on. some of my favs are ground phlox, dianthus, low thyme, woolly thyme, sweet william, creeping woodland vines like lingonberry, tea berry partridge berry, wintergreen. Again, it depends on your light exposure, humidity within the soil and soil texture.

 

Q5: On Lake Bernard, Ontario, we are behind a dam that has limited water level control. The properties behind are often subject to severe ice-erosion effects. What do you recommend to best deal with this?
A5: Where ice scour is an issue, we usually plant the water loving grasses and perennials to aid in holding the soils in place so the chunks don’t gouge too deeply. In other areas we have also added some large boulders, dug in about 2/3 so that they act as bumpers so the ice breaks up as they hit the rocks. Boulders need to be sufficiently big, like the size of a car, which might not be appropriate for your location. The plants that die right back into the ground in the fall are best as anything having above ground parts will be damaged.

 

Q6: Our cottage is on a reservoir lake for the Trent-Severn Waterway so lake level drops about 6-8 feet. We have rip-rap on the shoreline. What plants/shrubs would be suitable to plant in the rip-rap that can tolerate both wet and dry conditions?
A6: We often use “live staking” to revegetate a rock wall. Live stakes can be willow of various types, roses, alder, bayberry and perennials and grasses. The method is to spear a metal rod into the cracks and crevices between the rocks, make the hole a funnel shape by spinning the metal rod in a circle, and pack the edges by pressing the rod in an outward fashion. Then you will pull the metal rod out and insert the live stake, or perennial/grass plug, add water to the hole (if you can, or simple spray the area down with water after doing the planting), and cover with some soil. Finally, you would add mulch of hay or wood fibre.

 

Q7: Noticing more hard packed driveways other than gravel or grass. Some suggestions on how to deter these would be great.
A7: There are a few products, such as “ecoraster” which is a high-density plastic that is filled with gravel. It keeps the gravel in place and allows for drainage. Permeable concrete forms also work well as you can plant grass inside them and allow for a green look. These usually need to be replanted regularly as the weight of the vehicle and lack of sun keeps the plants weak. I find creeping thyme works best as it can tolerate low light. When I lived in Toronto in the 1990’s our neighbourhood had yellow fishes painted near the storm drains and we had a campaign to encourage and educate folks that the runoff from their homes, driveways and cleaning liquids were going right down the drain to the lake and ravines. You can learn more about that here: https://tucanada.org/education-training/yellow-fish-road/. Education was a good way to encourage folks to not waste water and to not use chemicals. Storm water into the system is damaging to the process and to the outflow region.

 

Q8: Do you have lists showing where precipitation is recorded in headwaters areas in South Frontenac, Ontario? Gaps? Should Front. Co. Destination Dev. Planners have this information for their plan draft to help avoid potential hazards?
A8: Please consult your local environment/extension office for data sheets, Environment Canada keeps records of precipitation as well, there is also a lot of historical information that can help you understand what is happening in general in any given area. If you are near a university or college with an enviro program you could also speak with profs and fins a student who needs a project topic.